Thekuruma，orjin-ri-ki-sha，{2}consistsofalightperambulatorbody，anadjustablehoodofoiledpaper，avelvetorclothliningandcushion，awellforparcelsundertheseat，twohighslimwheels，andapairofshaftsconnectedbyabarattheends。Thebodyisusuallylacqueredanddecoratedaccordingtoitsowner’staste。Someshowlittleexceptpolishedbrass，othersarealtogetherinlaidwithshellsknownasVenus’sear，andothersaregaudilypaintedwithcontorteddragons，orgroupsofpeonies，hydrangeas，chrysanthemums，andmythicalpersonages。Theycostfrom2poundsupwards。Theshaftsrestonthegroundatasteepinclineasyougetin——itmustrequiremuchpracticetoenableonetomountwitheaseordignity——therunnerliftsthemup，getsintothem，givesthebodyagoodtiltbackwards，andgoesoffatasmarttrot。Theyaredrawnbyone，two，orthreemen，accordingtothespeeddesiredbytheoccupants。Whenraincomeson，themanputsupthehood，andtiesyouanditcloselyupinacoveringofoiledpaper，inwhichyouareinvisible。Atnight，whetherrunningorstandingstill，theycarryprettily-paintedcircularpaperlanterns18incheslong。Itismostcomicaltoseestout，florid，solid-
lookingmerchants，missionaries，maleandfemale，fashionably-
dressedladies，armedwithcardcases，Chinesecompradores，andJapanesepeasantmenandwomenflyingalongMainStreet，whichislikethedecentrespectableHighStreetofadozenforgottencountrytownsinEngland，inhappyunconsciousnessoftheludicrousnessoftheirappearance；racing，chasing，crossingeachother，theirlean，polite，pleasantrunnersintheirgreathatsshapedlikeinvertedbowls，theirincomprehensiblebluetights，andtheirshortblueover-shirtswithbadgesorcharactersinwhiteuponthem，tearingalong，theiryellowfacesstreamingwithperspiration，laughing，shouting，andavoidingcollisionsbyamereshave。
AfteravisittotheConsulateIenteredakurumaand，withtwoladiesintwomore，wasbowledalongatafuriouspacebyalaughinglittlemannikindownMainStreet——anarrow，solid，well-
pavedstreetwithwell-madesidewalks，kerb-stones，andgutters，withironlamp-posts，gas-lamps，andforeignshopsallalongitslength——tothisquiethotelrecommendedbySirWyvilleThomson，whichoffersarefugefromthenasaltwangofmyfellow-voyagers，whohaveallgonetothecaravanseraisontheBund。ThehostisaFrenchman，buthereliesonaChinaman；theservantsareJapanese“boys“inJapaneseclothes；andthereisaJapanese“groomofthechambers“infaultlessEnglishcostume，whoperfectlyappalsmebytheelaboratepolitenessofhismanner。
AlmostassoonasIarrivedIwasobligedtogoinsearchofMr。
Fraser’sofficeinthesettlement；IsaySEARCH，fortherearenonamesonthestreets；wheretherearenumberstheyhavenosequence，andImetnoEuropeansonfoottohelpmeinmydifficulty。Yokohamadoesnotimproveonfurtheracquaintance。Ithasadead-alivelook。Ithasirregularitywithoutpicturesqueness，andthegreysky，greysea，greyhouses，andgreyroofs，lookharmoniouslydull。NoforeignmoneyexcepttheMexicandollarpassesinJapan，andMr。Fraser’scompradoresoonmetamorphosedmyEnglishgoldintoJapanesesatsuorpapermoney，abundleofyennearlyatparjustnowwiththedollar，packetsof50，20，and10sennotes，andsomerouleauxofveryneatcoppercoins。Theinitiatedrecognisethedifferentdenominationsofpapermoneyataglancebytheirdifferingcoloursandsizes，butatpresenttheyareadistractingmysterytome。ThenotesarepiecesofstiffpaperwithChinesecharactersatthecorners，nearwhich，withexceptionallygoodeyesoramagnifyingglass，onecandiscernanEnglishworddenotingthevalue。Theyareveryneatlyexecuted，andareornamentedwiththechrysanthemumcrestoftheMikadoandtheinterlaceddragonsoftheEmpire。
IlongtogetawayintorealJapan。Mr。Wilkinson，H。B。M。’sactingconsul，calledyesterday，andwasextremelykind。Hethinksthatmyplanfortravellingintheinteriorisrathertooambitious，butthatitisperfectlysafeforaladytotravelalone，andagreeswitheverybodyelseinthinkingthatlegionsoffleasandthemiserablehorsesarethegreatdrawbacksofJapanesetravelling。
To-dayhasbeenspentinmakingnewacquaintances，institutingasearchforaservantandapony，receivingmanyoffersofhelp，askingquestionsandreceivingfromdifferentpeopleanswerswhichdirectlycontradicteachother。Hoursareearly。Thirteenpeoplecalledonmebeforenoon。Ladiesdrivethemselvesaboutthetowninsmallponycarriagesattendedbyrunninggroomscalledbettos。
Theforeignmerchantskeepkurumasconstantlystandingattheirdoors，findingawilling，intelligentcooliemuchmoreserviceablethanalazy，fractious，capriciousJapanesepony，andeventhedignityofan“AmbassadorExtraordinaryandMinisterPlenipotentiary“isnotabovesuchalowlyconveyance，asIhaveseento-day。MylastvisitorswereSirHarryandLadyParkes，whobroughtsunshineandkindlinessintotheroom，andleftitbehindthem。SirHarryisayoung-lookingmanscarcelyinmiddlelife，slight，active，fair，blue-eyed，athoroughSaxon，withsunnyhairandasunnysmile，asunshinygenialityinhismanner，andbearingnotraceinhisappearanceofhisthirtyyearsofserviceintheEast，hissufferingsintheprisonatPeking，andthevariousattemptsuponhislifeinJapan。HeandLadyParkesweremosttrulykind，andencouragemesoheartilyinmylargestprojectsfortravellingintheinterior，thatIshallstartassoonasIhavesecuredaservant。Whentheywentawaytheyjumpedintokurumas，anditwasmostamusingtoseetherepresentativeofEnglandhurrieddownthestreetinaperambulatorwithatandemofcoolies。
AsIlookoutofthewindowIseeheavy，two-wheeledman-cartsdrawnandpushedbyfourmeneach，onwhichnearlyallgoods，stonesforbuilding，andallelse，arecarried。Thetwomenwhopullpresswithhandsandthighsagainstacross-barattheendofaheavypole，andthetwowhopushapplytheirshoulderstobeamswhichprojectbehind，usingtheirthick，smoothly-shavenskullsasthemotivepowerwhentheypushtheirheavyloadsuphill。Theircryisimpressiveandmelancholy。Theydrawincredibleloads，but，asifthetoilwhichoftenmakeseverybreathagroanoragaspwerenotenough，theyshoutincessantlywithacoarse，gutturalgrunt，somethinglikeHahuida，Hohuida，waho，Hahuida，etc。
YedoandTokiyo——TheYokohamaRailroad——TheEffectofMisfits——ThePlainofYedo——PersonalPeculiarities——FirstImpressionsofTokiyo——
H。B。M。’sLegation——AnEnglishHome。
IhavedatedmyletterYedo，accordingtotheusageoftheBritishLegation，butpopularlythenewnameofTokiyo，orEasternCapital，isused，Kiyoto，theMikado’sformerresidence，havingreceivedthenameofSaikio，orWesternCapital，thoughithasnownoclaimtoberegardedasacapitalatall。YedobelongstotheoldregimeandtheShogunate，TokiyotothenewregimeandtheRestoration，withtheirhistoryoftenyears。ItwouldseemanincongruitytotraveltoYedobyrailway，butquiteproperwhenthedestinationisTokiyo。
Thejourneybetweenthetwocitiesisperformedinanhourbyanadmirable，well-metalled，double-trackrailroad，18mileslong，withironbridges，neatstations，andsubstantialroomytermini，builtbyEnglishengineersatacostknownonlytoGovernment，andopenedbytheMikadoin1872。TheYokohamastationisahandsomeandsuitablestonebuilding，withaspaciousapproach，ticket-
officesonourplan，roomywaiting-roomsfordifferentclasses——
uncarpeted，however，inconsiderationofJapaneseclogs——andsuppliedwiththedailypapers。Thereisadepartmentfortheweighingandlabellingofluggage，andonthebroad，covered，stoneplatformatbothterminiabarrierwithturnstiles，throughwhich，exceptbyspecialfavour，noticketlesspersoncanpass。Excepttheticket-clerks，whoareChinese，andtheguardsandengine-
drivers，whoareEnglish，theofficialsareJapaneseinEuropeandress。Outsidethestations，insteadofcabs，therearekurumas，whichcarryluggageaswellaspeople。Onlyluggageinthehandisallowedtogofree；therestisweighed，numbered，andchargedfor，acorrespondingnumberbeinggiventoitsownertopresentathisdestination。Thefaresare——3dclass，anichibu，orabout1s。；2dclass，60sen，orabout2s。4d。；and1stclass，ayen，orabout3s。
8d。Theticketsarecollectedasthepassengerspassthroughthebarrierattheendofthejourney。TheEnglish-builtcarsdifferfromoursinhavingseatsalongthesides，anddoorsopeningonplatformsatbothends。Onthewhole，thearrangementsareContinentalratherthanBritish。Thefirst-classcarsareexpensivelyfittedupwithdeeply-cushioned，redmoroccoseats，butcarryveryfewpassengers，andthecomfortableseats，coveredwithfinematting，ofthe2dclassareveryscantilyoccupied；butthe3dclassvansarecrowdedwithJapanese，whohavetakentorailroadsasreadilyastokurumas。Thislineearnsabout$8，000，000ayear。
TheJapaneselookmostdiminutiveinEuropeandress。Eachgarmentisamisfit，andexaggeratesthemiserablephysiqueandthenationaldefectsofconcavechestsandbowlegs。Thelackof“complexion“andofhairuponthefacemakesitnearlyimpossibletojudgeoftheagesofmen。Isupposedthatalltherailroadofficialswerestriplingsof17or18，buttheyaremenfrom25to40yearsold。
Itwasabeautifulday，likeanEnglishJuneday，buthotter，andthoughtheSakurawildcherryanditskin，whicharethegloryoftheJapanesespring，areover，everythingisayoung，freshgreenyet，andinallthebeautyofgrowthandluxuriance。TheimmediateneighbourhoodofYokohamaisbeautiful，withabruptwoodedhills，andsmallpicturesquevalleys；butafterpassingKanagawatherailroadentersupontheimmenseplainofYedo，saidtobe90milesfromnorthtosouth，onwhosenorthernandwesternboundariesfaintbluemountainsofgreatheighthovereddreamilyinthebluehaze，andonwhoseeasternshoreformanymilestheclearbluewaveletsoftheGulfofYedoripple，alwaysasthen，brightenedbythewhitesailsofinnumerablefishing-boats。Onthisfertileandfruitfulplainstandnotonlythecapital，withitsmillionofinhabitants，butanumberofpopulouscities，andseveralhundredthrivingagriculturalvillages。Everyfootoflandwhichcanbeseenfromtherailroadiscultivatedbythemostcarefulspadehusbandry，andmuchofitisirrigatedforrice。Streamsabound，andvillagesofgreywoodenhouseswithgreythatch，andgreytempleswithstrangelycurvedroofs，arescatteredthicklyoverthelandscape。
Itisallhomelike，liveable，andpretty，thecountryofanindustriouspeople，fornotaweedistobeseen，butnoverystrikingfeaturesorpeculiaritiesarrestoneatfirstsight，unlessitbethecrowdseverywhere。
Youdon’ttakeyourticketforTokiyo，butforShinagawaorShinbashi，twoofthemanyvillageswhichhavegrowntogetherintothecapital。YedoishardlyseenbeforeShinagawaisreached，forithasnosmokeandnolongchimneys；itstemplesandpublicbuildingsareseldomlofty；theformerareoftenconcealedamongthicktrees，anditsordinaryhousesseldomreachaheightof20
feet。Ontherightablueseawithfortifiedislandsuponit，woodedgardenswithmassiveretainingwalls，hundredsoffishing-
boatslyingincreeksordrawnuponthebeach；ontheleftabroadroadonwhichkurumasarehurryingbothways，rowsoflow，greyhouses，mostlytea-housesandshops；andasIwasasking“WhereisYedo？“thetraincametorestintheterminus，theShinbashirailroadstation，anddisgorgedits200Japanesepassengerswithacombinedclatterof400clogs——anewsoundtome。Theseclogsaddthreeinchestotheirheight，butevenwiththemfewofthemenattained5feet7inches，andfewofthewomen5feet2inches；buttheylookfarbroaderinthenationalcostume，whichalsoconcealsthedefectsoftheirfigures。Solean，soyellow，sougly，yetsopleasant-looking，sowantingincolourandeffectiveness；thewomensoverysmallandtotteringintheirwalk；thechildrensoformal-
lookingandsuchdignifiedburlesquesontheadults，IfeelasifI